Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks are aiming to add the NBA Cup to their list of achievements, but they’ll need to overcome an Oklahoma City Thunder team that has established itself as a dominant force in the Western Conference.
The Bucks and Thunder will face off on Tuesday in the second-ever NBA Cup championship game.
Antetokounmpo delivered a stellar performance in the Bucks’ 110-102 win over the Atlanta Hawks in Saturday’s semifinal. He narrowly missed a triple-double, recording 32 points and 14 rebounds. A win in the NBA Cup final would highlight Milwaukee’s impressive early-season turnaround, as the team has won 12 of its last 15 games after starting the season 2-8.
Antetokounmpo is averaging a league-high 32.7 points over 23 games this season and is a strong contender for his third MVP award. Damian Lillard’s recent performances have also been crucial to Milwaukee’s resurgence, with the eight-time All-Star averaging 25.7 points per game.
Despite his drive to be one of the best, Antetokounmpo remains focused on team success rather than individual accolades.
The Thunder advanced to the final with an 111-96 victory over the Houston Rockets on Saturday, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 32 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and five steals. The Thunder sit atop the Western Conference with a 20-5 record and secured the top seed for the knockout stage after going 3-1 in group play.
For an Oklahoma City core still seeking its first major postseason impact, winning the NBA Cup against a seasoned Bucks team would be a significant milestone. Achieving this without star Chet Holmgren, who has missed the past month with a hip injury, would send a strong message to the league.
The NBA Cup final atmosphere is providing the Thunder with valuable experience in handling the spotlight.
Gilgeous-Alexander is once again an MVP candidate, averaging 30.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 6.3 assists. Jalen Williams continues his impressive development in his third NBA season, averaging 21.7 points and a team-high 6.1 rebounds per game.
Isaiah Hartenstein has stepped up in Holmgren’s absence, averaging 12.5 points per game and scoring 21 points to help propel Oklahoma City past Houston in the semifinal.
